"Hopefully He Can Join Me": Novak Djokovic Makes His 'Virat Kohli Wish' Public
Tennis great Novak Djokovic revealed that Virat Kohli is the reason he follows cricket. With his India visit in plans, Djokovic is hopeful of getting Kohli to join him.
- Novak Djokovic said Virat Kohli is "the reason why I started following cricket"
- Djokovic and Kohli maintain a friendship despite living far apart
- Djokovic plans to visit India soon and hopes to meet Kohli there
Cricket isn't one of the most popular sports in Serbia, but tennis icon Novak Djokovic found a connection with the "Gentleman's game" through none other than Team India legend Virat Kohli. The two stalwarts of their respective sports haven't shared a stage often, but they have engaged in several social media interactions that have mesmerised their fans. Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards, Djokovic expressed his admiration for Kohli, revealing that the iconic batter is the reason he started following cricket.
In the digital age, two people no longer need to be in the same vicinity to be "friends". Despite living thousands of kilometres apart, Djokovic found a friend in Kohli and vice-versa.
"Yes, Virat is a friend and someone I, of course, respect and admire. He's actually, to be honest, the reason why I started following cricket. I hadn't followed it before, but through him, I started following it more. We keep in touch, and hopefully, when I come, I don't want to say if, but when I come to India, hopefully he can join me. We could do a little bit of tennis and a little bit of cricket, have fun, and just spread positive, good vibes while celebrating sport," Djokovic told Times Now.
Asked about his message for India, Djokovic said that he has admired the country and its fans for a long time. The Serb also mentioned that he has plans to visit India soon.
"My message is always love, respect, and appreciation for all the support I have personally been receiving from Indian tennis and sports fans around the world over the years. I've met so many of them during this time. My message would also be: 'See you very soon in India,' because I need to go there. I've been feeling a calling to visit for the last couple of years. I really hope that I'll be able to come to India to host an event, play a match, or whatever it may be. I really wish for that because I feel very close to the Indian people," Djokovic stated.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner also spoke about his rivalry with the sport's two "young guns", Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
"I think the rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz is also great and unique in its own way. But for me, the 'Big Three' will always remain the greatest," Djokovic asserted.
Novak Djokovic
Virat Kohli